Eoin says… “We’ll have consonants, we’ll have vowels, we’ll have numbers. We may not have Rachel Riley to dispense them, but we’ll certainly have the equally glamorous Sean Lonergan who will be co-hosting with myself, Eoin Jackson. There will be prizes on offer at each ability level… so whether you are expert, intermediate or novice, there is a chance of coming away with a prize.

WHERE IS IT?

The event will be held in the Woodstown Residential & Activity Centre at Woodstown Beach, Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, Ireland. (At the heart of the sunny South East. 🙂 ) The Youth Centre is located 5 metres from the beach and around 20 metres from the Saratoga Bar and Restaurant. The venue is spacious and wheelchair accessible. It contains two dormitories with 16 beds in each, and so can sleep 32 people.

HOW WILL IT WORK?

It kicks off at 10:30am, and will be conducted using the Bristol-style classroom format. Everyone gets to see the same sets of letters and numbers, and to play them at the same time. Each person will have a direct opponent assigned. These match-ups will be drawn at random just before the start of each game. Everyone is guaranteed at least 6 games during the day. The results of the early matches will determine the composition of the different quarter final groupings. The top 8 (sorted by number of wins, then number of points) will contest the quarter final group from which the event winner will come. The final game to determine the event winner will be the only game that won’t be done in the classroom-style setting. It will be a stand-alone match, and everyone will be welcome to stick around and spectate if they so wish.

COST
Having thought long and hard on the best way to make this as cheap as possible while still covering costs, we’ve come up with the following 3 price plans:

PLAN #1 (FULL PACKAGE): €35/£31.54 …includes the event, accommodation on site, and up to 5 meals during your stay.

PLAN #2 (APTO-KID DISCOUNT):€25/£22.53 …includes the event, accommodation on site, and up to 5 meals during your stay. (but this price is only available to those under the age of 21)
PLAN #3 (EVENT ONLY): €15/£13.52 …includes the event and up to 3 meals.

What makes this complicated is the fact that there is accommodation on site. I would expect that many of those travelling to Waterford for this will want to stay in the centre itself. So, for your €35 you are getting 2 nights accommodation in a surprisingly comfortable dormitory, the event, breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Saturday, and also breakfast and lunch on Sunday should you choose to stay on.

There is also a discount for what we’re affectionately dubbing the “Apto-Kids”. Many of the younger Apterites hail from the UK, and travelling to Ireland for an event is a bigger deal when you are younger (particularly for those in their early-mid teens). And as some may need to come over with a parent / older friend, it seems fair to offer a discounted rate. The €25 price covers the entire event, meals, and accommodation, but is only available for those who are aged 20 years or younger on the 17th of June 2017.

The final rate of €15 is the price available for Waterford natives, or anyone else who has their own accommodation sorted. The price includes the event, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and lunch on Sunday.

Other items that are provided throughout, free of charge, include:- 1. Pens and paper to use; 2. Coffees, teas, and some soft drinks; 3. Snacks, 4. A ‘hangover’ event on the Sunday.

BOOKING DETAILS.

To book your place at Co:Wat?! send the payment to Eoin Jackson via PayPal at the address ayum@live.ie (please remember to select ‘Payment to friends & family’). Alternatively, make out a cheque to Eoin Jackson and send it on to 33 Shanakiel, Coxtown, Dunmore East, Co. Waterford.

FLIGHTS, TRAVEL, etc.

Waterford airport would be ideal for anyone coming from overseas. Unfortunately it is currently not running any flights from the UK. This may change before June. If it does we’ll publish flight details here as soon as we know. The other options are to fly into Cork or Dublin. Both of these are approx a 90min drive from Waterford. Bus and train would be available to the city, and we can arrange a lift to the venue from there (for free, obviously). For anyone who would rather take the Ferry. There are regular sailings into Rosslare harbour from Pembroke and Fishguard in Wales. (Rosslare is a 60min drive from Dunmore East.)

For anyone travelling within Ireland, if you can make it to Waterford, we can provide a lift to the venue for you. For anyone driving who has Sat Nav, you’d be advised to input the “Saratoga pub, Woodstown” into it, as we are almost next door to there. (I doubt the Youth Centre would appear on Sat Nav.)

[More details to go here as they come available.]

I think that’s everything for now! If you have any queries, email focalcountdown@gmail.com.

So if you fancy a few games of Countdown potentially followed by a swim on the beach by the woods, come to Waterford in the sunny South East of Ireland this June! Hope to see you there. :)”